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A blueprint for restoring touch with a prosthetic hand

Scientists at the University of Chicago have made a breakthrough in developing prosthetic limbs that can mimic human sensations, including touch, pressure, and contact. The research uses neural interfaces to stimulate the brain, allowing for real-time sensory feedback, which could increase the dexterity and clinical viability of roboti...

SourceUniversity of Chicago Medical Center·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateOct 14, 2013

New metric to track prosthetic arm progress

Researchers have developed a new index to assess patients' progress with prosthetic arms, grading performance on 18 everyday tasks. The Activities Measure for Upper Limb Amputees (AM-ULA) considers movement quality and body compensation, providing clinicians with a reliable tool to evaluate treatment effectiveness.

SourceBrown University·JournalArchives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation·DateOct 31, 2012

Scientists create illusion of having 3 arms

A team of scientists at Karolinska Institutet has successfully created an illusion of having three arms by using a realistic prosthetic arm. Healthy volunteers were tested and found to experience a third arm as part of their body image, even when it was threatened with harm.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS ONE·DateFeb 23, 2011

Finding the soft spot

A Tel Aviv University researcher has developed a tool to measure tissue damage in the bed-ridden and paralyzed, aiming to alleviate discomfort and pain. The Soft Tissue Stress Monitor can detect when a load is too heavy, alerting caregivers to make adjustments to prevent permanent damage.

SourceAmerican Friends of Tel Aviv University·JournalAnnals of Biomedical Engineering·DateMay 18, 2010

Reading the brain without poking it

A new study from the University of Utah shows that microelectrodes can detect brain signals controlling arm movements without penetrating the brain. This technology may enable amputees and paralyzed individuals to control prosthetic limbs and computers using their thoughts.

SourceUniversity of Utah·JournalNeurosurgical FOCUS·DateJun 28, 2009

Prosthetic arm acts like a real limb

Researchers developed targeted muscle reinnervation to improve control of a motorized prosthetic arm, allowing for better functional movement and sensory feedback. The technique enables the re-routed nerves to grow into muscles, giving users improved control and potentially 'feeling' sensations with an artificial hand.

SourceThe Lancet_DELETED·JournalThe Lancet·DateFeb 1, 2007

University of Utah to help build bionic arm

The University of Utah is working on a bionic arm that can move naturally in response to thoughts and allow users to feel sensations, with the goal of restoring the capability of amputees. Researchers will develop a peripheral nerve interface device that relays signals from nerves to the artificial limb.